The History of Stranger Things in 11 Objects - Netflix Tudum

It’s been nearly a decade since creators Matt and Ross Duffer first transported audiences back to Indiana in the 1980s and into the alternate dimension known as the Upside Down with their blockbuster coming-of-age drama Stranger Things. Embraced by viewers around the globe since its debut in 2016, the pop culture juggernaut has developed an immediately recognizable iconography all its own. Here, take a closer look at eleven essential objects that helped define the groundbreaking series, which returns for its fifth and final season this fall, with four episodes releasing Nov. 26, three episodes
on Christmas, and the finale episode
premiering on New Year’s Eve.

THE PINK DRESS

Before visiting Hawkins Middle School, Millie Bobby Brown’s heroine Eleven gets a feminine makeover courtesy of pal Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and friends. Pairing the look with sneakers and striped socks gives the ensemble its distinctive edge.

WALKIE-TALKIES

While they might not be the most reliable, walkie-talkies are the preferred mode of communication amongst the Hawkins gang throughout the series. In the debut season, the handheld model allows neighbors Mike and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) to stay in constant contact.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS MINIATURES

Dungeons & Dragons, the granddaddy of all role-playing games, invites players to adopt alter egos, with both the heroes and their enemies represented in physical form by tiny figures. Custom-painted pieces were created for each member of the show’s central party; for the dreaded Demogorgon that stalks them in the game (and later becomes the inspiration for the real-life creature that haunts them), the art department sourced a vintage D&D miniature sculpted by John Dennett.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

After her son Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) vanishes, mom Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) discovers that she can communicate with him using electricity, leading her to cover her home in dozens of strands of Christmas lights. Set decorator Jess Royal strung the lights on the wall of the Byers’ living room set, then worked closely with the show’s electricians to develop a master control panel so that each bulb and overhead light could be turned on and off as required.

THE BIKES

Rather than purchase restored vintage bikes for the characters, property master Lynda Reiss sourced banana-seat and BMX models from the 1980s, changing out the wheels, pedals, and handle grips to customize each for its rider. The approach was necessary as the production needed four copies of each bike — one for the actors to use while filming, a backup in case the original was damaged, and two for stunt work.

EGGO

Although frozen waffles aren’t sufficiently nutritious to sustain a growing preteen, they nevertheless become Eleven’s preferred breakfast during her covert stay in the Wheelers’ basement.

STEVE’S BAT

First fashioned by Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) during a face-to-face showdown with the monstrous Demogorgon at his family home, the intimidating wooden baseball bat, modified to inflict extreme damage, is also wielded by jock Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) — who picks it up again to fight off threatening Demodogs in the second season.

SCOOPS AHOY UNIFORMS

Slinging ice cream at Starcourt Mall’s dessert hot spot, Steve and Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) spend the summer of ’85 sporting white and navy blue sailor suits with red detailing, topped off with these not-so-subtle white caps.

SONY WALKMAN

In the fourth season of the Emmy-winning series, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” enjoys heavy rotation on the Sony Walkman belonging to Sadie Sink’s Max Mayfield; the song serves as a talisman to protect her from the reach of villain Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). The show’s massive reach helped propel the track to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart decades after its original 1985 release.

THE HELLFIRE CLUB T-SHIRT

White with black sleeves, the shirt proudly worn by Joseph Quinn’s fan-favorite character Eddie Munson and the other members of Hawkins High School’s misunderstood D&D club features a handmade-looking logo of a large red demon flanked by a flaming sword and a studded mace. The unforgettable image was designed by SoCal-based graphic artist Trevor Girard.

EDDIE’S GUITAR

Rock legends Metallica won over a legion of new fans thanks to the series’ prominent use of the band’s 1986 anthem “Master of Puppets,” which guitarist Eddie memorably performs in the Upside Down. The instrument he plays was based on B.C. Rich’s NJ Warlock series guitar, with a claw-shaped body and customized Hellfire Club branding, naturally.

THE NETFLIX ARCHIVE

These eleven objects from the production of Stranger Things, along with a treasure trove of other props and costumes from the series, are carefully stored and preserved in a warehouse that is home to a vast Netflix archive. 

A version of this feature originally appeared in Issue 21 of Tudum Magazine.